The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and does not constitute prior art.
Prosthetic joints can reduce pain due to arthritis, deterioration, deformation, and the like. Prosthetic hip joints often include a femoral component that is fixed to the patient's femur and an acetabular cup that is fixed within the patient's pelvis. More specifically, the femoral component can include a distal stem that extends into the patient's resected femur and a proximal body having a rounded head that is received within the acetabular cup. The head can articulate within the cup so as to moveably couple the femoral component within the acetabular cup.
Typically, the distal stem is first implanted in the intramedullary canal of the femur, and then a guide rod is separately attached to the distal stem. A reamer is then slid over the guide rod to partially ream a proximal portion of the femur, thereby creating a reamed opening that receives the proximal body. The guide rod ensures that the reamer is in the proper orientation such that the resultant reamed opening matches the geometry of the femoral component of the prosthetic joint. This ensures that the femoral component properly fits within and fixes to the femur.
Although insertion systems have been adequate for their intended purposes, these systems can be improved. For instance, insertion processes can be time consuming and inconvenient, especially if multiple steps are needed for inserting components of the prosthetic joint and components of the insertion system.